The Lion And The Witch
by JamesGrant42
Summary: This is just what I thought the conversation between Aslan and the White Witch during the The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe would've sounded like, enjoy.


The Lion And The Witch

_The White Witch's carriage slowly moves through the gathered crowd of curious onlookers around Aslan's camp. The crowd make way as the Queen's loyal servant announces her entrance._

Dwarf: "The Queen of Narnia and Empress of the Lone Islands!"

_The gathered crowd jeer the unwelcome newcomers as the Witch's carriage carriers set her down in front of Aslan's main tent. She dismounts elegantly and slowly much to the dislike of Aslan himself. He growls low under his breath as she advances towards him. _

_ The White Witch carefully surveys the gathered crowd with disgust before finally settling her gaze on the waiting lion. _

White Witch: "You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan."

_The Witch's blunt words shock the crowd of unsettled onlookers. Aslan steps forward and speaks pointedly as disgust flavours his words. _

Aslan: "His offence was not against you."

_The White Witch smiles cruelly as she sees Aslan's patience wavering. She raises her voice so that all around can hear as she continues to provoke the agitated lion._

White Witch: "Have you forgotten the Laws on which Narnia was built?"

_Aslan snarls deeply as the White Witch's barb stings the impatient lion. _

Aslan: "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, witch! I was there when it was written."

_The White Witch and many of the gathered onlookers are suddenly taken aback by Aslan's uncharacteristically tempered outburst. The witch continues on with a little more tact._

White Witch: "Then you will remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property."

_Peter suddenly draws his sword and points it menacingly at the White Witch._

Peter: "Just try and take him!"

_The White Witch turns slowly towards his amused. She speaks slowly to him, unintimidated._

White Witch: "Do you really think mere force will deny me my rite, little king?"

_Peter slowly lowers his sword as the White Witch turns her attention back to Aslan._

White Witch: "Aslan knows that unless I have blood as the Law demands all of Narnia will be over-turned!"

_A shocked gasp echoes throughout the gathered crowd of onlookers as the White Witch addresses them. _

White Witch: "And perish in fire and water…"

_The White Witch turns around and points towards a terrified Edmond._

White Witch: "That boy will die on the Stone Table! As is tradition…"

_The Witch smiles savagely at Edmund before turning confidently back to Aslan. _

White Witch: "You dare not refuse me!"

_The crowd are again shocked by the audacity of the White Witch's words. Aslan speaks up silencing the perturbed crowd._

Aslan: "Enough!"

_Aslan addresses the White Witch silently._

Aslan: "I will talk with you alone…"

_Aslan turns around and enters the tent behind him. The White Witch smiles confidently before following him into the tent. The gathered crowd exchange baffled expressions as they are left to amuse themselves, leaderless._

_ Aslan moves to the far side of the tent and awaits the White Witch. She enters and inspects the humbly furnished interior of his tent with revulsion. She turns her attention to the waiting lion._

White Witch: "The great Aslan reduced to grovelling. Oh, how the mighty do fall!"

_A low rumble shakes Aslan's chest as he ignores the Witch's jest._

Aslan: "You would do well to show restraint in my presence, witch."

_The White Witch eyes him closely before deciding not to provoke him further._

White Witch: "Well, perhaps a little. It's just I'm not really one for pleasant pleasantries."

_Aslan exhales sharply._

Aslan: "I assure you, this will not take long."

_The White Witch's tense mood softens._

White Witch: "Great! So, the way I see it you only have one choice."

_Aslan smiles coyly._

Aslan: "Only one?"

_The White Witch nods suspiciously._

White Witch: "Of course, and that is when you will surrender that traitorous boy to me."

_Aslan lowers his head menacingly as another rumbled growl more felt than heard, escapes his slightly bared teeth. _

Aslan: "Oh, I have another…"

_The White Witch swallows hard as she eyes the intimidating lion._

White Witch: "You'll kill me right now in cold blood?"

_Aslan laughs lightly as he raises his head up a little._

Aslan: "The thought had crossed my mind."

_The White Witch relaxes with relief. She finds the courage to taunt him once more._

White Witch: "Wouldn't such a thought tarnish that wholesomely heroic air you wander around exuding? And all for what, little old me?"

_Aslan scoffs loudly._

Aslan: "Do not flatter yourself, witch. Your life's worth little more than the time it would take to snuff out."

_The White Witch laughs happily._

White Witch: "Oh, so the big cat has got claws after all."

_Aslan lowers his head down again. _

Aslan: "Continue along the path you're on walking down and you will find out how sharp they are."

_The White Witch pauses briefly before smiling at the lion before her._

White Witch: "Oooo, is that a threat, my king?"

_A slight smile curls his lip revealing one of his long canines._

Aslan: "A warning…your majesty."

_The White Witch eyes him for a moment before speaking._

White Witch: "Along with your restraint…perhaps Narnia's Great Lion can be tamed after all."

_Aslan growls low in disgust but says nothing in response. _

White Witch: "And it's a good thing too…for we both know that should you take my life under our truce then all of Narnia will be condemned to ruin…twice over!"

_Aslan begins to laugh to himself._

Aslan: "You misjudge the growing satisfaction it would give me to slowly rid your bones of your flesh."

_The White Witch laughs out loud._

White Witch: "And yet you have not done so thus far?"

_Aslan turns away from the witch._

Aslan: "No one life is worth all of Narnia."

_The White Witch smiles broadly._

White Witch: "And so we circle around to where we were when we were outside. I grow weary of your company, oh Great Lion. So, if you are done? I'll be taking the boy to the Stone Table now."

_The White Witch turns and moves over to exit Aslan's tent. As she nears the tent flap Aslan turns back and calls after her. _

Aslan: "Jadis, wait!"

_The White Witch halts as her broad smile widens. She glances back at the pleading lion._

White Witch: "Well, well, well...using proper names now, aren't we desperate? I'd use yours but whichever of the many shall I use?"

_Aslan sighs briefly._

Aslan: "Whichever one makes you more amenable to my offer."

_The White Witch raises a curious eyebrow before moving back into the middle of the tent._

White Witch: "Offer? Now I am intrigued. I suppose 'The Son of The Emperor across the Sea' has always fascinated me, but it's rather inconveniently wordy. However, it'll be good enough to hear you out."

_Aslan rolls his eyes before speaking._

Aslan: "The Laws of Narnia state that a willing substitution for the guilty can be made."

_The White Witch cocks her head to one side playfully as she makes a show of considering Aslan's veiled request. _

White Witch: "Yes, I am aware…but only with my blessing. And besides, who would you substitute for him? A griffin or perhaps a centaur?"

_The White Witch suddenly raises her voice and her arm at Aslan._

White Witch: "No, his spilt blood is worth more to me than a thousand of either!"

_The White Witch's outburst surprises Aslan but his outward demeanour changes little as he speaks calmly to the furious witch. _

Aslan: "What about a king?"

_The White Witch raises her eyebrow again. And just as quickly as her anger came it is replaced by a sudden curiosity. _

White Witch: "What about a king?"

_Aslan laughs lightly at the White Witch's lack of comprehension._

Aslan: "Would you substitute a king for the boy?"

_The White Witch laughs to herself._

White Witch: "Who, you?"

_Aslan eyes the witch closely as he speaks slowly to her._

Aslan: "I would offer no one else's life but my own."

_The White Witch stares at Aslan in disbelief._

White Witch: "Really, you?"

_A low growl emanates from deep within Aslan's chest as his continuing dislike for the witch before him slow grows again. He speaks to cut off his impending growl._

Aslan: "You dare doubt my word?"

_The White Witch sees his disgust and smiles cruelly._

White Witch: "No, I just don't believe it."

_Aslan scoffs lightly._

Aslan: "Your lack of belief does not change it."

_The White Witch eyes the great lion in front of her closely before smiling happily._

White Witch: "Very well. I agree to your substitution, however foolish it is."

_Aslan nods slowly, returning her slow inspecting gaze._

Aslan: "And your claim on the blood of the son of Adam?"

_The White Witch dips her head slightly. _

White Witch: "Will be renounced once you die on the Stone Table, tonight."

_The White Witch turns and walks over to the front flap of Aslan's tent. _

White Witch: "I expect you to be there."

_ Aslan follows the witch closely, his disgust returning as he bares his teeth at her._

Aslan: "You already have my word, witch."

_The White Witch laughs as she glances back at Aslan._

White Witch: "I know…but it's so good to hear you say it again, oh King Above All High Kings…"

_The White Witch parts the tent's doorway flap and confidently strides out leaving Aslan alone inside. He sighs deeply before drawing a slow breath of air as he follows in the White Witch's wake. _

_ The White Witch stares at the four children as a cruel smile curls her lips. She turns and walks slowly to her waiting minions. Aslan wanders along the witch's path until his eyes meet with Edmund's terrified gaze. Aslan stops and eyes the boy hesitantly before turning towards the silently waiting crowd. He speaks so that they all can hear him._

Aslan: "She has renounced her claim on the son of Adam's blood."

_The gathered crowd erupts in raucous of jubilant cheers. Lucy celebrates with her family but pauses as she sees Aslan lower his head in sadness. She eyes him curiously until his gaze falls on her. She smiles at him but he does not return it. Lucy sighs briefly before and turns back to her brothers and sister. _

_ As the White Witch ascends the steps of her carriage she turns back towards Aslan and speaks over the elated crowd. _

White Witch: "How do I know your promise will be kept?"

_Aslan turns towards her with teeth bared and roars out his bitten-back rage. The force of his growl silences her back into her throne chair. The crowd again erupt in more cheers as the White Witch's servants lift her carriage and carry her away out of Aslan's camp._


End file.
